Carroll businesses prep for Super Bowl, but NFL controversy lingers for some

DYLAN SLAGLE/STAFF PHOTO / Carroll County Times

Stephen Davis, left, Julia Woods, right, and other patrons celebrate at Buffalo Wild Wings in Westminster during the Baltimore Ravens' AFC Championship win over the New England Patriots in 2013. BWW and other Carroll establishments expect good Super Bowl crowds on Sunday.

Stephen Davis, left, Julia Woods, right, and other patrons celebrate at Buffalo Wild Wings in Westminster during the Baltimore Ravens' AFC Championship win over the New England Patriots in 2013. BWW and other Carroll establishments expect good Super Bowl crowds on Sunday. (DYLAN SLAGLE/STAFF PHOTO / Carroll County Times)

Even during a year when the NFL has faced controversy and lost some viewers, Super Bowl Sunday means football. But, for many fans, the food is almost as important.

As the two teams fine-tuned their game plan, bar and restaurant staff across the country were doing their own strategizing to prepare all the pizza, wings, beer, chips and other beloved fare that will be carried out and enjoyed in-house on the big day.

Jenn Eckard, a manager at Buffalo Wild Wings in Westminster, said they get more carry-out than dine-in customers, with prep starting at 7 a.m. on the day of the big game.

“All week long, we’ll be taking orders,” she said.

She predicts that many will turn out this year, but, “if it was the Ravens or Steelers or Redskins, it would be pretty packed.”

One element that some business owners have been cognizant of are the protests that have sparked varied reactions and much discussion among football fans this season.

Some fans have rallied behind the players’ message with public support of those who have taken a knee during the national anthem at some points during the season, while others have expressed their opposition to the protests by refusing to attend or watch NFL games.

Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti even addressed the effects of the national anthem protests on the fan base at a news conference Friday.

“We try to not to talk to our guests about it because everyone has their own opinions,” Eckard said. “But I think it has affected all the football across this season.”

For every big game, she said the Buffalo Wild Wings team’s goal is to just have fun.

“We try to make a great day out of it,” she said. “Every team member, every manager, we all work at least some point during the day.”

On Thursday evening, fans talked about their gameday plans as they watched sports on the many TVs at the restaurant. Several said they would still watch the Super Bowl though displeasure at the protests marked their experience of the season.

“With it being so cold, I think it’s a good time to get together,” Dana Saunders said.

Of the protests, her husband, Paul Saunders, said, “It affected me a lot. ... I think that they should keep that to the side.”

Dana Saunders added, “Personally, I think that the game is the game. I will always stand for the pledge of allegiance because I don’t find my heroes in football players. I find my heroes in the people that defend that flag. Football is football and true heroes are true heroes.”

Bill Hillman, of Finksburg, said he will watch and is hoping for a close game. Though he is a Ravens fan, he said, “I’d like to see it go down to the fourth quarter and Philadelphia make the final drive to win it.”

“[The protests] did [affect us] earlier on, but we kind of ignored it after a while,” he said.

Last year, more than 110 million viewers tuned into the game, which has been uncontested as the nation’s most-watched television program every year.

John Murphy, manger at Greenmount Station in Hampstead, said the restaurant is choosing to not put the focus on the controversy in their preparation.

“We don’t get involved with that,” he said.

Throughout the day, they will have extra staff on hand to manage carry-out orders and guests who come in for their all-you-can-eat buffet or bar area.

“[We want to serve] as many as possible for as long as possible — that’s always our goal,” he said.

At G.L. Shacks Grill in Sykesville, manager-in-training Brittany Ellenberger said in addition to prepping for the increased load of customers, the staff also talks about safety measures like making sure customers have a taxi or ride service to get home after drinking.

Regarding the NFL protests, she said, “Yes, I think we’re going to have less [attendance] because of that,” and noted that Sundays have seen less customers coming out to watch games this season.

Overall, their goal is “just to make sure everyone has a good time and gets home safe,” she said.